Boeing and Vietnam Airlines have celebrated the first visit to the United States by the head of the ruling Communist Party of Vietnam with a flypast of the airline’s first 787 Dreamliner.

The event was witnessed by Nguyen Phu Trong, general Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam, during the official state visit.

The event was attended by more than 200 delegates, ministers and ambassadors from Vietnam and the United States, as well as local and international media, and other invited guests at the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.

The airplane on display is scheduled to be delivered to Vietnam Airlines later this month.

“I’m glad to introduce the very first Boeing 787 Dreamliner for Vietnam Airlines, marking the start of 19 of these new aircraft to expand our fleet and operations,” said Pham Viet Thanh, chairman of Vietnam Airlines.

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“I believe that with its state-of-the-art, environmentally friendly, safe and convenient features, the 787 will offer Vietnam Airlines’ customers new experiences and a new quality of service.”

At the event, the two companies also signed a memorandum of collaboration toward the goal of Vietnam Airlines’ fleet replacement and expansion.

Boeing has offered the airline eight 787-10 Dreamliners and eight 777-8Xs, which the airline acknowledged. Boeing and Vietnam Airlines will work together and report to government authorities before coming to official cooperation agreements in the future.

“Today we build on more than two decades of partnership with Vietnam Airlines and Boeing is honoured to be joined by general secretary Nguyen Phu Trong on his historic first official visit to the United States,” said Boeing Commercial Airplanes president Ray Conner.

“We are proud to celebrate Vietnam Airlines’ first 787 Dreamliner and to continue to provide them with the best airplanes in the world.”